The full United Nations Security Council has held talks for the first time on Iran's suspect nuclear program.

U.N. ambassadors from the 15-member Council met informally Tuesday to discuss a British-French draft document on Iran that the Council's five veto-wielding members have been debating this week.

Among the five permanent members, China and Russia have been at odds with the United States, France and Britain over the document, which demands that Iran halt all uranium enrichment. The draft also calls for a report within weeks from the International Atomic Energy Agency on Iran's progress in answering key questions about its nuclear ambitions.

The full Security Council is expected to hold formal talks on Iran on Friday.

Also Tuesday, Iranian state television quoted Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as saying Tehran's nuclear program is - in his words - "irreversible."

He also said any retreat from the program would endanger the country's independence.

The United States alleges Iran is seeking highly enriched uranium to make a nuclear weapon - a charge Tehran denies.

Russia is seeking to head off possible Security Council sanctions against Iran, and is currently in talks with Tehran on a Russian offer to enrich uranium for Iran. The deal is aimed at removing Western suspicions about Tehran's nuclear program.

Iran has so far resisted the offer and is seeking to carry out enrichment activities at home.

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